PSJA North Raiders sink Mustangs
By Jose G. Guerra
Special to the Advance
PSJA North improved to 8-0, gaining 400 yards on the ground in a 27-7 victory over McAllen Memorial.
Memorial’s touchdown in the fourth quarter ended an impressive streak of 23 straight quarters where the North defense hadn’t given up any points. During that span they tallied five straight shutouts.
Three running backs each eclipsed the 100-yard mark rushing for North, Sophomore Ethan Guerra led the way with 172 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries. Senior Jaden Fuentes contributed 108 yards and the Raiders’ other score, averaging 21.6 yards per carry on his five touches. Senior Jason Montes also his 100 yards on 13 carries.
Devonte Espinoza stepped up defensively with an interception and brothers Danny Garcia and Dante Garcia combined for 24 tackles, including five for loss. The Raiders return home for a 7 p.m. Thursday game against Juarez-Lincoln (0-8).
Roma 48, PSJA Memorial 40
In what turned out to possibly be the game of the year, two unexpected 7-0 teams lived up to their billing and put up more than 1,000 yards of offense as Roma remained undefeated at 8-0 with a 48-40 double-overtime victory over district rival PSJA Memorial.
The Gladiators’ Ediel Garcia scored on a 25-yard run on the first play of double overtime, and ran in the two-point conversion to send the Gladiators closer to capturing their first District 16-5A Div. II title.
Garcia scored three touchdowns on the day, two rushing and one receiving, and combined for 178 yards of offense. Issac Lozano led Roma with 114 yards on the ground and David Galan chipped in with 93.
Galan was also dangerous throwing the ball, connecting on 7-of-16 passes for 231 yards and one scoring pass. Luis Pena hauled in four of those passes for 114 yards for Roma.
Emiliano Colunga paced the Wolverines with 158 yards rushing and a touchdown. Ryan Reyna also scored on the ground, adding 72 yards. Robert Moralez led the receiving group with four catches for 130 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
PSJA Memorial plays host to Mission Veterans at 7 p.m. Friday. Roma, which has scored 363 points this season, looks to improve to 9-0 at home Friday against PSJA Southwest.
Edinburg Vela 77, Juarez-Lincoln 0
The SaberCats showed their might on both sides of the ball as they improved to 7-1 with a lopsided victory.
Vela allowed just 65 yards of offense, including a dominant minus-18 on the ground, while producing nearly 500 yards of offense. Junior Jonathan Flores exploded for 244 yards rushing on just 12 carries, including a 98-yard run, and scored five touchdowns for Vela. Jamal Polley added 98 yards and scored three times as well on the ground for Vela.
Quarterback Myles Lopez was efficient throwing the ball, connecting on 9-of-11 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown.
It was the third time this year that Vela eclipsed the 60-point mark and second time it surpassed 70 points.
Other Matchups
In other games, it was Edinburg High 41, La Joya 21; Mission 59, Economedes 7; Weslaco 35, Rivera 7; Gregory-Portland 56, Mercedes 7; Pioneer 44, PSJA Southwest 21; McAllen High 26 Palmview 0; McAllen Rowe 33, Rio Grande City 7; Donna 48, Pace 14; Edcouch-Elsa 49, Porter 7l Mission Veterans 30, Sharyland 8 and San Benito won the traditional Battle of the Arroyo, 21-10 over Harlingen.
Thursday’s Games District 31-6A
• La Joya High at Edinburg Economedes, 7 p.m.
District 15-5A DI
• La Joya Juarez-Lincoln at PSJA North, 7 p.m.
• Rio Grande City at McAllen Memorial, 7 p.m.
District 15-5A DII
• Corpus Christi Flour Bluff at Brownsville Porter, 7 p.m.
District 16-3A DI
• Progreso at Lyford, 7:30 p.m.
District 16-2A DI
• Santa Maria at Ben Bolt, 7 p.m.
Friday’s Games District 31-6A
• Edinburg North at Edinburg High, 7 p.m.
• PSJA High at Mission High, 7 p.m.
District 32-6A
• Brownsville Hanna at Weslaco High, 7 p.m.
• Harlingen High at Brownsville Rivera, 7 p.m.
• San Benito at Los Fresnos, 7 p.m.
District 15-5A DI
• Edinburg Vela at La Joya Palmview, 7:30 p.m.
• McAllen High at McAllen Rowe, 7:30 p.m.
District 16-5A DI
• Brownsville Veterans at Harlingen South, 7:30 p.m.
• Donna High at Donna North, 7:30 p.m.
District 15-5A DII
• Valley View at Gregory-Portland, 7 p.m.
• Mercedes at Edcouch-Elsa, 7:30 p.m.
District 16-5A DII
• Sharyland Pioneer at Sharyland High, 7 p.m.
• PSJA Southwest at Roma, 7 p.m.
• Mission Veterans at PSJA Memorial, 7:30 p.m.
District 16-4A DI
• Hidalgo at Corpus Christi Tuloso- Midway, 7:30 p.m.
• Kingsville King at La Feria, 7:30 p.m.
District 16-4A DII
• Bishop at Raymondville, 7:30 p.m.
• Port Isabel at Grulla, 7:30 p.m.
District 16-3A DI
• Rio Hondo at San Diego, 7:30 p.m.
District 16-3A DII
• Hebbronville at Santa Rosa, 7:30 p.m.
District 16-2A DI
• La Villa at Premont, 7:30 p.m.
TAPPS District 3 DII
• San Antonio St. Anthony’s at Brownsville St. Joseph, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday’s Game District 16-5A DI
• Weslaco East at Brownsville Pace, 7 p.m.